Self-cleaning tank valve



Patented May 5, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,536,415 PATENT OFFICE.

LUCIEAN o. BECK AND non o. WHITECO'ITON, or ELKINS, wnsr VIRGINIA.

SELF-CLEANING TANK VALVE.

Application filed June 20, 1924;. Serial No. 721,328.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, LUCIEAN G. Bnon and Anon C. \Vrrrrncorron, citizens of the United States, residing at Elkins, in the county of Randolph and State of Vest Virginia, have invented a new and useful Self- Cleaning Tank Valve, of which the following is a specification.

This invention aims to provide novel means whereby dirt may be blown off the screens in the feed pipe which extends between a steam engine and the tank which supplies water to the boiler of the engine, and, specifically, it is one object of the invention to provide a novel valve mechanism whereby the result above mentioned may be attained.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the invention appertains. 7

Although a preferred form has been depicted, it will be understood that a mechanic, working within the scope 01. what is claimed, may make alterations without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings, the device is shown in a single sectional view, wherein parts re main in elevation, parts being broken away.

The numeral 1 designates the top of the water tank T, which may form part of the tender of a.locomotive engine, the bottom of the tank being designated by the numeral 2. A tubular outlet member 3 is provided and includes a body 4 extended upwardly through the bottom 2 of the tank T as shown at 5, the body having a flange 6 secured at 7 to the bottom 2 of the tank, a packing 8 being interposed between the flange and the bottom, if desired. In alinement with the flange 6, the body at is provided with a fixed inner valve seat 9. A sleeve 10 is threaded at 1.1 into the lower end of the body and is provided with a flange 12 abutting against the lower end oi. the body, the sleeve having a bore 14, and. there being a valve seat 15 in the sleeve 10 at the upper end of the bore. The body 4 has a laterally extended and downwardly inclined arm 16 wherewith is assembled a coupling 17, in any suitable way, for instance, through the instrumentality of flanges 18 on the parts 16 and 17, and bolts 19 connecting the flanges. At various places in the feed pipe line, screens are disposed, a screen 21 being shown, for the sake of illus tration, bound between the flanges 18,

although there may be as many screens as desired and. the screens may be located as preferred. The feed pipe 20 which conveys the water from the tank T to the locomotive or other steam engine is assembled with the coupling 17.

A retainer 22, in the form of a plate, is secured at 23 to the top 1 of the tank and is provided with a boss 24 into which a tubular bearing 25 is threaded, the inner end of the bearing engaging the top 1, about an opening 26 which is formed in the top, the bearing having a lateral flange 27 which engages the upper end of the boss 24. The numeral 28 designates a valve stem, extended through the opening 26 in the top 1 and threaded at 29 into the tubular bearing 25. The stem 29 may have a squared upper end 30 upon which is detachably seated a crank 31, or any other suitable means for rotating the stem. The stem is supplied with an abutment 32, a gasket 72 being interposed between the abutment and one end of avalve 33 mounted removably on the stem and held thereon by a nut 34 and a cotter pin 35 assembled with the stem, the valve comprising a beveled head 36 adapted to cooperate with the seat 15, and a beveled head 37 adapted to cooperate with the seat 9.

When the parts are arranged as shown in the drawing, any dirt or sediment which may have accumulated on the screen 21 may be blown, by pressure from the feed pipe 20, back into the body A and out through the bore 1 1 of the sleeve 10, the head 36 of the valve 33 being spaced from the seat 15, and the head 37 of the valve being engaged with the seat 9. Rotation may be imparted to the stem 28 by means of the crank 81, the stem threading downwardly through the bearing 25 until the head 36 of the valve 33 cooperates with the seat 15 to close the outlet bore 14, the head S? of the valve being spaced from the seat 5), and the water then prm ceeding inv the usual way from the tank T to the locomotive engine, through the parts l-16-17-20.

The sleeve 10 is renuwable and when. it is removed, access is had to the cotter pin 35 and the nut 34:, it being possible to slip the valve off the stem 28 and to install a new valve on the stem.

What is claimed is A device of the class described, including the water tank of a steam engine, the feed water pipe of a steam engine and a screen in the feed water pipe-in combination with a member provided at one end with an outlet and communicating at its opposite end with the tank, said member having a lateral branch communicating with the feed Water pipe at a point between the tank and the outlet on the one hand and the screen on the other hand, said member being supplied with seats located on opposite sides of the lateral branch, one seat being located between the outlet and the branch and the other seat being located between the tank and the branch, a valve in said member, and

means for moving the valve into engagement with either seat, to the exclusion of the other, thereby to place the feed pipe in communication with the tank, or in communica tion with the outlet to eflfect a blow-oil through the feed pipe, the screen and the outlet, at the will of an operator.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own, we have hereto attixed our natures.

LUGIEAN G. BECK. ARCH C. \VHITEGOTTON. 

